Another Year
by TML9115
Summary: Its the third year in a row that Hotch has missed Emily's birthday.  Written for the Fanfic Challenge Round 9 - March Madness Assignments for the CCOAC...


AN: Written for the Fanfic Challenge Round 9 - March Madness Assignments on Chit Chat on Author's Corner… Enjoy

Pairing: Hotch/Emily  
>TV Promt: Friends<p>

**Another Year**

"Emily!" Emily groaned as JJ, Garcia, Morgan and Reid approached and surrounded her.

"No. Whatever it is the answer is no."

"Oh come on Em you don't even know what we're going to ask."

"It doesn't matter because your giddiness and Garcia's grin says I'm not gonna like whatever it is you were going to ask." Emily pointed an accusing finger first at JJ then at Garcia.

"Just hear us out Emily, we promise it's not bad." Reid pleaded. It wasn't often Reid pled with her. Her resolved completely broke at seeing the puppy dog faces Morgan, JJ and Garcia were making.

She looked at her watch as she spoke. "Alright, you have sixty seconds starting now."

"Okay…We know that your birthdays coming up." Garcia started but was quickly interrupted. "No its not."

"Really Princess, you're going to play that card? Reid."

"Ok fine. What about it?" She hated that Reid had everyone's information committed to memory. It made it really hard to avoid celebrating the dreaded day that only stood to remind her she was one year older and still had no family to claim as her own.

"We want to do a get together. Nothing big. Just the team."

"As I recall last year was suppose to be just the team and my mother showed up with a handful of handsome successful bachelors." Emily pointed out with a raised eyebrow.

"Emily you know we had nothing to do with that." Reid protested. Emily wondered what had gotten into him. He never joined in with the team pressure of throwing her a party.

"Yeah Em, we honestly don't know how your mother found out." Garcia loved the team get togethers and she wasn't about to allow last years mishap ruin everything she had planned this year. Emily eyed them all. She knew they were telling the truth in the fact that none of them had spilled the news to her mother. She remembered the look of shock she'd seen on everyone's face when her mother had shown up at the bar, well everyone's face except for Hotch's. He'd had a last minute emergency he couldn't get out of. Now that she thought about it he'd had a last minute meeting the year before. The realization stung. He purposely avoided her birthday. He always got her a present but it wasn't the same. Maybe the growing friendship she thought they shared was only one sided.

"Emily you okay?" JJ's hand on her shoulder brought her back from her thoughts.

"Yeah I'm fine. The Ambassador better not catch wind of our get together this year." She threatened. She was back to her usual composed self. The team noticed but said nothing.

"What are we not going to let the lovely Ambassador catch wind of?" Rossi raised an eyebrow at the gathered group.

"Emily's birthday get together." JJ supplied. Dave cringed. "We wouldn't want a repeat of last year now would we?" Emily glared at the group. It really wasn't as funny as they all thought. She'd had to deal with the consequences of not telling her mother for weeks to follow.

"Perfect. So next Friday assuming there is no case?" Garcia asked. For any passer by she looked like a kid who'd eaten a bag full of sugar.

Friday came a lot faster then everyone expected and thankfully there were no cases. The team all met up at Emily's favorite Italian restaurant. "Where's Hotch?" As hard as she tried she couldn't hide the disappointment she felt.

"He was called on a consult to New York but don't worry I have his present." Dave had been pissed off at his friend. He was taking the cowards way out instead of telling Emily he loved her and wanted nothing more than spend every free minute with her he'd found a way to miss out on a very important day for her. The look of hurt he was witnessing would be the last one. He'd make his friend come to his senses after his consult even if he had to tie him down and beat sense into him.

The conversation at the table was light and filled with laughter. Emily shared the stories of everything that occurred the year before with her mother and the sexy men she'd brought with her. The teams favorite was when the Ambassadors secretary had called and lectured Emily about being a good daughter and settling down.

"Present time!" Garcia squealed and pulled her bag from underneath the table once the plates were cleared. Slowly Emily opened each present and thanked the person who'd given it to her. She couldn't remember a time where celebrating her birthday had been just about her and not some function used to campaign. Dave handed her the final gift. "It's from Hotch. He said he's really sorry he couldn't make it."

Emily slowly opened the carefully wrapped gift and gasped. "Oh my god. How did he? When did he get this?" Emily couldn't find the right words to ask as she held the porcelain doll in her hands. It was close to 8 months ago when she'd seen it while on a case and had told him of the one she'd lost during one of the many moves. Her grandmother had given her the doll as a child.

Rossi was impressed. "The last time Aaron went all out on a gift like this he was head over heels for the woman."

"What did you say?" Emily couldn't believe her ears.

"Are you saying Hotch loves Emily?" Morgan asked leaning so he wouldn't miss the answer.

"I knew it!" Both Garcia and JJ exclaimed.

"Dave?" Emily pleaded for an explanation.

"The jet leaves from DCA in 40 minutes." Was all the explanation he gave and it was all she needed. The team watched her pick up her purse and leave the table.

"We're paying her tab aren't we?" Reid joked.

Emily wasn't sure what she'd say to him when she saw him but she knew she needed to see him. He loved her. She couldn't understand why he didn't want to be around her. She needed to know.

She had 5 minutes before he would fly out to New York. She knew this could wait until he came back but she needed answers.

"Hotch." She called out to him as he stepped up to the jet. She wasn't sure he hadn't heard her. "Hotch." She called again this time louder. She saw him stop and then slowly turn around.

"Prentiss what are you doing here?" He took note of the doll she clutched in her hands.

"Why do you always bail on my birthday every year?" She ignored his question.

"Excuse me?" They both knew he heard her.

"Don't Hotch. I just want to know what it is about my birthday that makes you hate being around me that you have to fly out to another state."

"Emily what makes you think I don't want to be around you?" He knew he wasn't kidding anyone. He hated himself for hurting her.

"Are you kidding me? Hotch you've found a reason to bail for the last three years. This year is a consult, last year was an emergency and the year before you had a last minute meeting you couldn't get out of. So I ask you again why do you hate my birthday so much? Is it me or just the day in general, I've tried to figure it out but I haven't been able to." Hotch felt like a bigger ass for almost making her cry.

"Emily." He sighed. How was he going to tell her without scaring her off. "I don't have a problem with you or your birthday."

"Then what is it Hotch?"

"Its just. Every birthday that comes is another year that passed without having you in my life. I don't mean just at work. I want to be able to hold your hand whenever I want to, comfort you when you need it, kiss you first thing in the morning and right before you fall asleep. I want to be able to go home with you and tell you I love you. Every birthday that comes is another year that passes. Another year that I don't hear that you love me back. Another year that you could fall for someone that isn't me." Emily couldn't help the tears as she listened to him.

"So you don't hate my birthday?" she asked through the tears. He chuckled as he wiped her tears away. "No I don't hate your birthday. As a matter of fact I love your birthday. I love you Emily."

"I love you too." Aaron engulfed her in his arms and kissed her. "Happy birthday Emily."

AN: I couldn't remember the name of the episode…but Ross is flying out and its Rachel's birthday… Chandler accidently tells her Ross loves her because of the present he got her…only in the episode she goes to the wrong airport and doesn't make it before he leaves…instead she waits for him when he comes back only to find him with another woman… I wasn't going to do that to Emily…that's just too cruel… hope you enjoyed…


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